Pssst buddy... Wanna' buy a race series??? NASCAR may go up for sale??? (drivers, motorcycle)
Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
If you were a fan like I was as far back as the 1950's, that's when stock car racing was at its best. During the 60's we saw the car makers get involved and hence the super cars like the Daytonas. Now with the COT as the base car and all parts are restricted by NASCAR and must be approved before you can bolt them on, it's not "stock" anything. It's gotten to be nothing but a wrestling match. I find it amazing that Jimmy Johnson can be a 6 time Champion but now can't hardly find a top 10 finish. Did he and Chad all of a sudden become brain dead? Do the morons running NASCAR think the viewer and fans won't see this?
If you watch any of the races, the stands aren't even half full. How they can afford to keep on racing is beyond me. And ticket prices. Have you priced a race lately? Over a hundred bucks a seat for okay seats for a 3-4 hour venue. How'd ya like to buy tickets for a family of 5 and still eat that week? There's a reason Dale Earnhardt Jr bailed out. He saw the writing on the wall and has commented that the sponsors are falling out due to lack of fan support and the cost to have a team. That's why all of the younger drivers which are not making the big money like those before them. I can only hope somebody with some sort of interest in the sport buys it up and turns it back to STOCK car racing. The current crap is just a show, not racing. And then there are the TV deals. Hey NASCAR, not everybody can afford to pay for every sports channel in the world. Pick one and then stick with it for the season. Having 4 different sports channels is just a self destructive move on the part of NASCAR. But then I'm sure the France family doesn't give a damn about Joe Common anymore. They've milked this cash cow for all it's worth and now they want to shove it off on somebody.
I'm starting to like Motorcycle racing a whole lot more. Ever watch the Isle of Man Motorcycle race? It's a road course of over 60 miles long thru the country side and thru towns at speeds of over 200mph. Absolute insanity! Usually several die in trying to win the race.
TrapperL pretty much summed it all up perfectly. It's sad about the decline of NASCAR, but was inevitable. I haven't been watching as long as some of y'all. I started in Jeff Gordon's first (partial) year and picked him as my driver. By his last year, I was ready to "retire" from NASCAR as well.
Like Trapper said, one of the reasons is the TV deal. I stopped wasting my money on sports packages a few years ago. So I just watch the race when it's on FOX (currently) or NBC. Even then, I DVR it and fast forward through it because frankly, I think it's just not as exciting as it was up to the early 2000's or so. I have no desire to support any of the sponsors.
Take a look at the sponsor list. At least half of the list I have very little interest in. The big ones like Lowe's (leaving) is about the only one I do business with. Monster Energy hasn't brought the excitement I thought they would since they do sponsor some pretty exciting sports. https://fantasyracingcheatsheet.com/...rivers/current
The spark at NASCAR is gone. I don't want to see NASCAR go away, but it needs a major shakeup. Maybe selling the company to someone that has better foresite and ideas...and listens to it's fans...will bring back the fun to NASCAR.
Location: By the sea, by the sea, by the beautiful sea
68,326 posts, read 54,344,425 times
Reputation: 40721
Quote:
Originally Posted by TrapperL
If you were a fan like I was as far back as the 1950's, that's when stock car racing was at its best. During the 60's we saw the car makers get involved and hence the super cars like the Daytonas. Now with the COT as the base car and all parts are restricted by NASCAR and must be approved before you can bolt them on, it's not "stock" anything. It's gotten to be nothing but a wrestling match. I find it amazing that Jimmy Johnson can be a 6 time Champion but now can't hardly find a top 10 finish. Did he and Chad all of a sudden become brain dead? Do the morons running NASCAR think the viewer and fans won't see this?
You've got me by a decade, I became a fan in the '60s as a 10 year old. Not only did the cars have some character then but so did the drivers. I enjoyed it when they took a 'body in white' and built a race-car based on a 'real' production car, the introduction of restrictor plates was probably the start of my loss of interest and spec cars pretty much killed it. I also enjoyed it far more when drivers were free to speak their minds without fear of losing points earned on the racetrack and weren't restricted to being corporate shills, I miss the characters like Smokey Yunick, Curtis Turner, et al.
I believe NASCAR shot itself in the foot when it began abandoning its fan base and started placing more emphasis on entertainment and less on racing. It's gonna be a long, difficult road back and may not be doable.
I believe NASCAR shot itself in the foot when it began abandoning its fan base and started placing more emphasis on entertainment and less on racing. It's gonna be a long, difficult road back and may not be doable.
Also when the sponsors started dictating who would drive their cars. Let's admit it, most of the younger drivers are poster boys for ad campaigns. Sure they can drive, but for every polished, Hollywood type driver, there are probably 10 brawlers out there with equal or better talent, that just don't fit the sponsors profile.
But a NASCAR team can't make it without a big pocketed sponsor due to the high costs. And if you get a brawler in there who's motto is "wreckers or checkers", he probably won't have a seat long.
The brawlers would be more fun to watch of course.
Location: By the sea, by the sea, by the beautiful sea
68,326 posts, read 54,344,425 times
Reputation: 40721
Quote:
Originally Posted by USNRET04
Also when the sponsors started dictating who would drive their cars. Let's admit it, most of the younger drivers are poster boys for ad campaigns. Sure they can drive, but for every polished, Hollywood type driver, there are probably 10 brawlers out there with equal or better talent, that just don't fit the sponsors profile.
But a NASCAR team can't make it without a big pocketed sponsor due to the high costs. And if you get a brawler in there who's motto is "wreckers or checkers", he probably won't have a seat long.
The brawlers would be more fun to watch of course.
I couldn't agree more! I used to really enjoy NASCAR, including the creativity of some of the car builders who'd do things that weren't specifically banned like reversing engine rotation to torque load the left side of the car or run 50' of 1" ID fuel line through the car to get a little extra fuel in the car.
Now? FEH!
IMO one of the worst things they ever did was institute plate racing, AKA a wreck looking for a place to happen. I can understand the need to restrict speeds on the super-speedways but would much rather see it done thru aero like bigger spoilers or something like harder tires rather than killing the HP. The acceptance of expecting the 'big one' is just wrong to me.
The cars are interchangeable, needing decals to identify what they allegedly are and the drivers aren't much different. When they took points Jr. earned on the track for something he said in the winner's circle I knew it was no longer racing, it was WWF on wheels.
We are all talking multi generational here. I could be wrong but the majority of us are grey hairs or ten years out. I would love to know the generational percentages of NASCAR fans by age.
I know I have mentioned in past posts I am a trades instructor for apprentices......machninsts and mechanics.
Very few if any of these young adults have any interest in NASCAR. A good 90% hold a wrench like a foreign object. These apprentices have virtually no mechanical background and very few if any wrench on cars other than one or two into Jeeps.
NASCAR I think is in a state of decay and this younger generation does not have the interest to rejuvenate it.
I found this link........looks like all sports are seeing rising ages also!
Is this really due to social media? I used to enjoy spending time watching sports with my dad. Is this a thing of the past?
Location: By the sea, by the sea, by the beautiful sea
68,326 posts, read 54,344,425 times
Reputation: 40721
Quote:
Originally Posted by JBtwinz
We are all talking multi generational here. I could be wrong but the majority of us are grey hairs or ten years out. I would love to know the generational percentages of NASCAR fans by age.
I know I have mentioned in past posts I am a trades instructor for apprentices......machninsts and mechanics.
Very few if any of these young adults have any interest in NASCAR. A good 90% hold a wrench like a foreign object. These apprentices have virtually no mechanical background and very few if any wrench on cars other than one or two into Jeeps.
I'm curious what draws them to the field? I ask from the perspective of having been interested in engines since an early age, and in my late 60s they continue to fascinate me. I doubt many other fields have seen the rapid development as internal combustion engines have, from the Wright brothers very simple engine in 1903 to the Saturn Vs in the Apollo program that went to the moon in 1969, well within one man's lifetime, is in my mind truly amazing.
Quote:
Originally Posted by JBtwinz
NASCAR I think is in a state of decay and this younger generation does not have the interest to rejuvenate it.
I found this link........looks like all sports are seeing rising ages also!
Is this really due to social media? I used to enjoy spending time watching sports with my dad. Is this a thing of the past?
I also miss the speed channels, used to like watching the super bike races,and Wind Tunnel with Dave Despain.
I have to wonder what so-called experts would attribute the fall-off of interest in racing to. To me racing is almost primal, from foot races in ancient Greece to chariot races in ancient Rome it seems the desire to go faster than the next guy has probably been with us at least as long as the purpose of any other sport.
I'm curious what draws them to the field? I ask from the perspective of having been interested in engines since an early age, and in my late 60s they continue to fascinate me. I doubt many other fields have seen the rapid development as internal combustion engines have, from the Wright brothers very simple engine in 1903 to the Saturn Vs in the Apollo program that went to the moon in 1969, well within one man's lifetime, is in my mind truly amazing.
We are a lager facility in a small community that is not surrounded by manufacturing so our apprenticeship tends to draw from what is local, food service, call center, etc. These top out at 50k so we do get those who are a bit older and have some experience but the majority do not. These young kids are not fixing bikes, mini bikes and cars as we did in the 60's and 70's like we did. Their parents aren't either.
I have to wonder what so-called experts would attribute the fall-off of interest in racing to. To me racing is almost primal, from foot races in ancient Greece to chariot races in ancient Rome it seems the desire to go faster than the next guy has probably been with us at least as long as the purpose of any other sport.
I am no expert but somehow social media and electronics have taken a front seat to things now a days.
I would think there would be a panicked desperation going on right now in NASCAR. While it just an analogy, nobody at Blockbuster saw Netflix as an enemy until it was to late. Meaning those emptying seats at these tracks are not going to be easily filled with a newer audience quick enough in my opinion.
Location: By the sea, by the sea, by the beautiful sea
68,326 posts, read 54,344,425 times
Reputation: 40721
Quote:
Originally Posted by JBtwinz
We are a lager facility in a small community that is not surrounded by manufacturing so our apprenticeship tends to draw from what is local, food service, call center, etc. These top out at 50k so we do get those who are a bit older and have some experience but the majority do not. These young kids are not fixing bikes, mini bikes and cars as we did in the 60's and 70's like we did. Their parents aren't either.
Personally, for myself as well as many of our generation, I think things like good ol' fashioned American hot rodding stemmed more from a fascination with mechanical things, how they worked, and the challenge of improving them than any career potential. I have to wonder how much the greatly improved quality of modern cars has changed that? I know it used to be a source of pride to once or twice a year put points, plugs in Dad's car, set the timing, idle and see a noticeable improvement in the way it ran. I kinda miss that. It shocks me today when I read young kids today aren't even all that excited about the day they'll get their driver's license.
Quote:
Originally Posted by JBtwinz
I am no expert but somehow social media and electronics have taken a front seat to things now a days.
Maybe I'm just a Luddite but I watched a televised FormulaE race and it convinced me engine noise makes racing much more enjoyable and that no electronics will ever replace the sound of of a 28 cylinder Pratt & Whitney coming down the front chute at Reno at 500 mph and no video game will ever replace the spectacle of a fuel dragster launching so hard you see it move before the sound catches up.
Quote:
Originally Posted by JBtwinz
I would think there would be a panicked desperation going on right now in NASCAR. While it just an analogy, nobody at Blockbuster saw Netflix as an enemy until it was to late. Meaning those emptying seats at these tracks are not going to be easily filled with a newer audience quick enough in my opinion.
For me, a lifelong racing fan, NASCAR screwed the pooch when they decided to make racing secondary to entertainment. The first F1 race I ever attended the cars had no advertising whatsoever and I enjoyed the era when a group of dedicated racers could buy a Cosworth DFV, a Hewland gearbox, and with little more equipment than I've seen in friends' garages build a competitive car. If nothing else I guess we can take pleasure in knowing we've likely seen the 'Golden Age' of racing as sport, even as racing as business may well spend itself into oblivion.
Please register to post and access all features of our very popular forum. It is free and quick. Over $68,000 in prizes has already been given out to active posters on our forum. Additional giveaways are planned.
Detailed information about all U.S. cities, counties, and zip codes on our site: City-data.com.
Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
